The Ambush
by Itena
Summary: When Anna went out into the mountains that day, she hadn't expected to find anything but the beautiful sight of Arendelle's wild nature. What she ended up discovering instead could only spell trouble for her and her people.
1. Chapter 1

It was much too early in the morning for most folks. The sun had yet to peak through into the sky, and the frigid winter temperatures did little to help. Yet at the same time, the air was sharp and fresh, like a good glass of water. The Princess, despite having been a late-riser in her recent years, breathed in deep and relished the brisk morning. Yes. This was where Anna truly belonged. Back to the ways of childhood, when the northern lights would wake her, and the dawn would stir her spirit, beckoning her to rise with the day.

What was the Princess of Arendelle doing outside in a cold, winter morning? She was off to do some sightseeing, is what. Ever since the Great Thaw, Anna took it upon herself to explore her kingdom; an act which she had been incapable of for most of her life. Though sometimes visions and spirits of faint memories flashed before her (of creeks and trees and cliffs in the countryside, of tents and the merry giggles of her and her sister, dashing through the wild bush), a few sparse recollections of camping trips wouldn't be what one would call "knowing the land like the back of my hand" as Anna so eloquently put it.

Did the Queen worry? Of course she did. She always was one to do so. But of course, the Princess had been insistent, and her "A princess must know her kingdom!" logic was hard to refute. Elsa knew better than to continue keeping Anna shut inside the castle. No, that was too much like how it had always been, and they were making sure things _wouldn't_ be as they used to. So Elsa let Anna go on her excursions across their lands... but not without some protection, of course.

Anna sighed a little as her elder sister took it upon herself to fix and fiddle with her cloak, making sure everything was tight fitting and proper. "Is this really necessary?" she asked, her eyes staring at the three mounted guards, all lined up neat and proper before her in their usual green uniform. _How boring. _

Elsa pulled tightly at the strings at her bunad, not even pausing to look at her sister's face. "I've told you once, and I'll tell you again. Yes, it is." She jerked at the strings tightly, making Anna lurch forward a little. "Now would you please stop asking me that _each time_?"

The young one puffed her cheeks in a pout. "But they make things so... awkward, Elsa. I try to have a conversation, but they won't even try to put a word in-"

"As they have been trained," interrupted Elsa.

"Right, and I can't fathom _why_; who's idea was it to make guards boring?"

The Queen sighed audibly. "I'm sure you've already been taught _why_, Anna, as I have. It's for military discipline and the establishment of appropriate boundaries." Anna looked away at that, her lips puckered in her pout, though the Princess was indeed already aware of the reasons. "Just go and enjoy yourself, alright? You should be grateful I'm letting you go at all."

"But it's Jarle and Allen and Bastian! The most boring of the bunch! Couldn't you have gotten some of the younger guards?"

Elsa bit her lip in frustration. "For one, it's rude to speak of them in such a way. They may not be chatting up the place like you are, but they're not deaf Anna. Secondly, these men have proven their loyalty to our family many times. The Captain of the Guards is the one who assigns them, and you would do well to trust in his judgement."

The Princess found it hard to make any sort of comeback with such comments, so she finally relented, albeit with a sheepish expression on her face. "Sorry, you're right, sorry." She turned to the guards, who if they were feeling miffed themselves, they weren't showing it. "Sorry, you guys, don't take it personally. I'm sure you are all super interesting at the pub or something." Elsa took it upon herself to groan at such a comment.

Anna then turned back to her pony, giving its muzzle a soft petting before finally mounting it. She looked at her sister, who looked rather ready to head back into the castle, a yawn growing on the Queen's lips. "I'll see you in the evening," said the Princess, "I should be back before the sun sets."

Elsa smiled softly. "I'll see you then. Do be careful, now." _I love you._

Anna returned the smile. "I will." _I love you, too._

With that and the crack of the reins, the four of them set off down the bridge of the castle's entrance, heading towards the wooded, wilder lands of Arendelle. Elsa watched them go for a while, waiting until they had turned into small specks in the distance, before finally turning back into the castle, a handmaiden swiftly following her, insisting as usual to cloak her in this 'deathly cold of a morning' despite Elsa's own insistence that it wasn't necessary.

* * *

After the initial rush of the early morning mixed with the energy of a good gallop, Anna quickly found herself feeling awkward again as the four of them journeyed through the rocky slopes of the outback.

The Princess was a talkative one, and though being alone wouldn't have made good company, at least she could have talked to herself out loud, or to her horse, or something. With these three around her, she couldn't even do _that_; no, not if she wanted to at least seem _sane_. Though she already knew she had a less than refined of a reputation amongst the staff, she at least wanted to seem like she had all her marbles together. _'If only Olaf were here!'_ she lamented inwardly. While the snowman seemed to share many traits with her, waking up early wasn't one of them. So, naturally, he wouldn't have been able to join her at such an early hour. And Kristoff was also a no go; he was off on his own outing, except it was a harvesting type of outing, and therefore he wouldn't be back for another week. So, what was Anna to do on her own?

She could try talking to her escorts. Again. She knew what the outcome of that would be, but no one could blame her for trying!

Or, she could just keep quiet, and let the scenery distract her. Which, and Anna had just realized this, she hadn't actually been paying attention to for a while. 'Focus, Anna,' she berated herself, 'Don't forget what you're out here for.'

So she slowed her pony down a little, and decided to trudge through the scenery around her at a more leisurely pace. And sure enough, as she had been re-discovering, Arendelle was beautiful. Especially in winter. As much as Anna enjoyed the warmth that summer brought, she knew that it was in the winter that these trees and hills really shone through. With such pure powder nestled on the grounds and the branched, it felt almost regretful to trot through it, marring the smoothness with hoof tracks and kicking up snow and dirt.

"Isn't it beautiful?" she said to the guards, and though they didn't respond, she could tell they were also paying attention.

They kept moving though, as this wasn't the Princess' destination. She'd already been to this area before on a previous ride. Anna's sights this time around were set on the eastern mountain range, a place far from any town or village, where only hunters and harvesters tended to visit. Kristoff had told her about the place before in conversation; the way the trees towered over on their steep perches, the way the clearings sparkled under the sun, the way the creeks gurgled and mumbled; a valley like no other. Anna had to see such a place for herself.

So the Princess and her escorts trudged through the snowy wilderness, passing through large clearings, through forests and bushes and rocky meadows, taking in the sights while they trudged on throughout the day, stopping only to let the horses rest and to eat a little before setting out again, each time a new vigor in their steps. And eventually, Anna forgot about the fact that there was not much in terms of talking; her awkward thoughts pushed away by the nature around them, which was as silent as the group itself. Which is what usually happened. Though the girl often complained about the silence in the beginning, in the end she would take comfort in it. Of course, by the next trip she would have already forgotten what the good quiet outdoors sounded like.

And it wasn't as if the guards were statues. While they didn't take part in Anna's type of light-hearted conversation, the occasional words were spoken- ones out of necessary rather than pleasure: "Shall we rest here, M'Lady?", "Watch the roots here, the horses could trip.", or "There's a stream nearby here for water.", etc. So in the end, Anna found pleasant enough companionship with Jarle, Allen and Bastian; three men who had known her since she was born; guards who had watched over her and her family for as long as she could remember.

The group continued, beginning to near the mountain range as the sun marked the midday.

* * *

"All rise for the Queen!"

The room echoed with the sound of wood grinding with the floor as the councilmen stood up for Elsa entering through the grand doors. With a pace not too quick and not too slow, she strode to the head seat and sat down, prompting the rest of the men to do the same. "The council is now in session," she declared.

And so the meeting started. The session started off slow, with discussions of business-licences needing approval, small farms requesting loans, the current stock of food that the kingdom had for the winter and its proper rationing- all _important, very important_, the Queen reminded herself as she discreetly covered a yawn. 'Goodness,' she thought, 'Anna must be rubbing on me.'

But soon came one of the most difficult of topics to the table: foreign relations. Ever since the Thaw, Arendelle's quiet, uninteresting reputation was turned upside down. Suddenly, the small kingdom was faced with attention from all fronts; both good and bad. One particularly stubborn neighbour was causing trouble worth at least two or three of the rest. And as one of the scribes read out the latest message from that neighbour, the Queen suppressed the urge to shoot the parchment with a shot of her ice.

"'...And if Her Majesty would be so kind as to finally reconsider her decision'," the scribe continued on, though not without a hint of hesitance in his voice, "'Wesleton would pardon any past... sins Her Majesty had committed and absolve the accusation of witchcraft.'" And with that, the man coughed awkwardly before rolling the parchment up and putting it away. The atmosphere in the council room was thick and unpleasant as no one uttered a word for at least half a minute afterward. Another cough echoed through the court.

Elsa finally spoke. "If you would Councillor, please see to it that the same reply be sent to _His Grace_," she said, bitterness ripe in her throat, "and make sure that the letter is burnt. Meeting adjourned." And with that, the awfully silent crowd spilled out of the room, each looking a bit worse for wear than when they had come in that morning.

The Queen took a breath as she lingered on her chair, trying to pretend that she wasn't affected by such words. Words she'd heard from all the Duke's other letters to her court; ones that had a great knack for knocking Elsa back a few steps on her journey towards self-acceptance. Something that, though the Great Thaw had definitely put it into motion and helped greatly, hadn't exactly found itself quite yet. Especially not when there are those who would say that her powers were nothing more than satanic ritual. Oh, how the Queen had just about enough of Weselton and its callous, egotistical attempts at what can hardly be called 'reconciliation'. Sighing, Elsa got off her seat, heading towards her chambers, where yet more paperwork was waiting for her.

Or perhaps she should head to the chapel. Let the bishop reassure her anxieties. 'Nonsense, Elsa,' she scolded herself, 'you're fine. You can't just let a letter go and change your plans for the day.' So she headed to her chambers, after all, and there she would remain for the rest of the day, buried in her papers and hoping it would distract her. At least she could look forward to Anna returning soon.

* * *

They had arrived.

Anna knew it the moment she saw the way the sun shined on this place; there was an untouched nature about these lands. It was just as Kristoff had told her, and _more. _Yes. She was glad she had come here.

Settling on a clearing which had the best view of the valley, Anna and her escorts unsaddled and took the opportunity to take in the scenery. It was truly beautiful, truly... Arendelle. With the gentle fog resting on the mountains before them, and the smoothness of the snowy lands before her... it was all Arendelle. These were her lands, _their_ lands.

"If only I were a painter," she breathed, "I could keep this scene and hang it upon the walls. I don't want to ever leave."

_Shing. _The sound of metal.

"Don't worry, missus. You won't be."

Anna turned, before even thinking, and suddenly it wasn't just Jarle, Allen and Bastian with her. There were now many men, and many horses. They were surrounded. Anna instantly recognized the red uniforms.

Weselton's soldiers.


	2. Chapter 2

"Behind me, Your Highness!" was the cry of Bastian. The guard pulled Anna by the arm, practically slamming her towards him. Jarle and Allen quickly joined them, forming a circle around the Princess. Surrounding them were ten enemies, with horses still mounted and swords and crossbows.

They had barely any warning.

The sound of swords clashing reverbrated through the previously silent wilderness; horses neighing, strangled cries of men and desperation, Anna's begging in her head for it all to stop and go away and _that this can't be real, this is a nightmare_. Everything was a blur of chaos and fear and adrenaline.

Weselton's men were relentless, but her men were even more so. Somehow, _somehow_ her men kept their positions, managing to fell even the horses the attackers mounted on. They fought on, somehow taking on the many men with just their three swords. Anna could only watch as they took the brunt of the attacks, shielding her with such selfless courage only a royal guard could muster.

And then, silence.

She stood there as the last of her escorts, Bastian, fell in front of her, and the last enemy did the same. Bastian was the last to die, but not without taking the last of the soldiers with him.

Silence.

Anna shook, trembling at the scene before her. On the snowy ground, hot drips of blood fell, staining the pure white- a sharp, haunting contrast. Men and horses all around her, both enemy and guards crumpled and still, ever so still.

No one left, but her.

The princess stared on in shock, before shakily looking down at herself. Her clothing was the same as the snow, _red_; her abdomen's crimson spreading slowly through her cloak. A broken sword lay beside her, stained with her red.

But she wasn't dead.

She looked around her, the wind howling and bellowing, reflecting the fear in her heart. She then looked down again at the guards, almost not believing her eyes.

"Elsa... I have to get to Elsa," she whispered, a thought finally forming. She stared at her men- how could she just leave them here? But she had no choice. _I'm so sorry._

So she turned, making her first crunching step into the snow, towards the town, towards the castle, towards Elsa. She had to get to her. For what happened, what was supposed to be just an outing in the mountains, became an incident; one that could only lead to things bigger than just herself.

* * *

Trying to concentrate on the legal document before her, Elsa could only scrunch her face up and groan. It was late, and she was distracted, her patience with these papers waning in parallel to the sun's light fading in the evening.

Anna was late. She said she'd return by sunset; and here was sunset, but no princess in view, riding back to the castle. 'Don't worry.' Elsa tried convince herself, 'This has happened before, Anna was sometimes late. Perhaps she overestimated the trip home. Calm down.'

And yet Elsa still couldn't focus on the paper.

* * *

The trek through the snow was spent in silence, heaving and shudders. Anna was cold, and she knew that if she wasn't in shock, she'd have collapsed by now. At one point, she had to stop as she coughed and heaved, bile rising in her throat. But she kept going. There was nothing else to do. There was no one else out there, no one to notice her in the wilderness.

Except, perhaps more of those men.

Anna shuddered at the thought, terrified, and let that fear give her strength to keep moving, despite the cold and the pain and the nausea. She trudged on through the hours, still walking, still going. How Anna managed to keep walking, she didn't even know herself.

As she saw the town finally come into view, her vision blurry and her breath visible in the cold night, Anna realized she couldn't let anyone see her 'til she got to Elsa. After all, how did those men find her? She had gone somewhere where princesses didn't usually roam, so she couldn't fathom where they had gotten the information. She didn't want to think about it, but if there was someone in their ranks with different loyalties... she had to see Elsa first. So Anna took a path in the darkness of the night to the castle, her feet dragging and her breath ragged, to the side of the stone walls. There a door stood, and with great effort and blood dripping down her coat, Anna managed to open it, and slipped inside to a corridor unused by most staff. It took her to the hallway with their chambers.

Feeling lightheaded and at the end of her rope, Anna could only hope Elsa was in her chambers as she opened the door, leaning on the knob. "...Elsa.." she managed to say, hoping her sister was there on the other side.

Elsa, who had been staring at her papers, but not really reading them, jumped a little at the noise. Turning her head, she could barely make out a figure in the doorway; the faint candlelight barely making a dent into the darkness. But she knew that voice. "...Anna? Is that you?" Her anxiety spiked; she didn't like the way Anna sounded. She sounded _tired_, and _pained_. Something was very, very wrong.

Elsa was there. Thank God Elsa was there. Anna gave a small smile in relief. "E-Elsa... you're here..." She was barely standing, her braids hanging limply on her shoulders. The princess took a few steps into the room, somehow still walking. As she finally stepped into the range of the candlelight, Elsa gasped at the sight. Her sister, her dear sister was pale, paler than herself; damp with snow and weather, and... The Queen looked on in shock as she took in Anna's bloody wounds, blood that was dripping down onto the carpet and wood of the floor.

Elsa hesitantly came to her sister's side, taking her arms in hers, almost afraid she'd break her just by contact. Anna, relief flooding through her, leaned into her sister, her breath coming out in wheezes and gasps, each one only serving to give her pain, as her stomach rose and fell with each intake of air. "You're hurt..." whispered the older sister, her mind reeling at what she saw before her. "What happened, Anna? Talk to me!"

As the warmth of the fire in the room permeated and reached the wounded girl, her mind started unwinding out of its shocked state. Tears started poking out of her eyes as the memories of the incident flashed through her mind. "W-we were ambushed-" Anna grit her teeth as a wave of pain flooded her senses, "Weselton," and the princess' voice was strained, and she closed her eyes tightly, and the shock was fading and the pain was growing, growing.

Elsa's eyes widened at those words. Anna curled into herself, burying her head into her sister as the wound's fire consumed her. Elsa held her sister close, easing both of them onto the ground, until they both kneeled on the floor, with the Queen supporting the young one, wrapping her arms protectively around Anna's shoulders; shoulders which were cold, so cold and shaking.

"You're going to be alright, Anna," the Queen whispered fiercely, though her voice warbled in distress, "I've got you."


	3. Chapter 3

Elsa's heart beat fast as she held her sister. One moment, everything was fine, and suddenly here was Anna in her arms, and she _was hurt. _"Anna, we have to get you to the doctor," she said. Elsa went to get up, only to have a shaky hand to pull at her sleeve, stopping her.

"Wait," Anna panted out, talking through her teeth, "Be—be careful, Elsa... They... they ambushed us... when we were already-" Anna paused, groaning in pain, "in the mountains."

Be careful? What did Anna mean by- then it struck Elsa. "...They knew you were there," she murmured, tensing up. She didn't want to believe it, but if there were a spy amongst them... She looked back at her sister, who was doubled over against her.

The Queen hugged her sister again. "I'll be careful. Let's worry about all that later, okay? Right now, you need help. I'm going to lay you down now. We'll do it slowly-" and Elsa gently moved her sister to a laying position on the ground. Anna breathed heavily, tears coming down her face at the pain of moving. Elsa cringed inwardly at the sight, but did her best to help her sister, telling her to breath, whispering words of comfort. As soon as Anna had laid down completely, Elsa took a pillow from her cot, and carefully eased it under the strawberry-blonde's head, who sported clenched teeth and a grimace, grunting out her breathing in pained gasps. The shock had left her completely, leaving Anna with the consequences.

Elsa ran out the door, crying out "Kai, Gerda! Anyone!" A guard came to her first. "Please, fetch the doctor," she said, wringing her hands. The guard looked over into the room, noticing the princess. Eyes widening, the man bowed quickly before rushing down the hallway.

"Elsa," came her sister's voice, and an arm which reached out for her. Elsa ran back to her sister and took it, squeezing her sister's hand, rubbing her cold arm.

"Shh, shh, "Elsa said, "I'm right here. Don't speak, sweetheart. Help's coming, alright? You're going to be okay." Elsa stroked Anna's head, smoothing out her hair. Realizing her forehead was warm, Elsa stopped her hands, keeping her palm there. _She's burning up_. Elsa bit her lip. That could mean infection, and Elsa knew that was bad, very bad. The Queen allowed her hand to cool a few degrees, and rested her palm on Anna's forehead, hoping it would suffice until the physician came.

Though she was sure the doctor was coming soon, Elsa felt the seconds tick by like minutes, and the minutes like hours. She kept trying to console the wounded girl, whose gasps of pains Elsa was sure would remain in her nightmares for years to come, and she felt lost, not knowing what to do, feeling helpless as she watched her sister suffer before her. _Why is my baby sister always the one who gets hurt? Why her? Am I not the one the Duke hates so much?_ Elsa's eyes welled in tears.

"Your Majesty!" The royal medic came, bag in hand and several nurses in tow. Elsa turned her head, quickly wiping her tears with one hand and straightened her back, still keeping Anna's palm in her grip.

"Dr. Pål," came Elsa's reply, "Thank heavens you're here." The doctor was already kneeling beside Elsa, bringing out his supplies.

"Your Majesty, what happened?"

"I'm not sure of the details. She said her party had been attacked." Elsa bit her lip, worry etched in her face as she looked at her sister, who's eyes were clamped shut and her face settled on a grimace.

The doctor nodded, his eyes never leaving the princess as he worked on assessing the extend of Anna's injuries. "I've no doubt about that. That wound was obviously from a sword."

"She has a fever too, Doctor. Could it be infected?" she asked, trying to keep her voice from warbling.

Dr. Pål looked carefully at the laceration. "...I don't see any signs of it, right now. Her fever could mean various things." He then turned to address Anna. "Princess Anna? We'll be moving you to the bed now, alright?" Anna opened her eyes a little to look at the physician, then nodded, and Elsa felt relieved that her sister was still awake and aware.

Elsa helped the nurses and the doctor carry Anna to the bed, who cried out at being jostled, despite how careful they had been. How on earth did Anna manage to come back to the castle sporting such an injury? How long had she been walking? The Dr. Pål ended up answering her question, as he looked at her feet, which were red from the cold, nearing frostbite. "Her highness must have travelled on foot for hours, " he stated, somehow reading the Queen's mind.

"Oh, _Anna_," she whispered, and Elsa kissed her sister's hand, tears threatening to fall again. Oh, how it hurt to know how long Anna had suffered for. But she was also very proud, amazed at her sister's strength.

"Your Majesty," came the doctor's voice, and Elsa looked at him, "If you would allow us, we need a bit of space to work." Elsa nodded, and gave her sister's hand a tight squeeze before standing back and letting the medical staff have the run of the bedroom. She took a seat at the edge of the wall, and gave a sigh, trying not to let anxiety overpower her.

Now that she was sitting, she let her mind think about what the implications of this were. Weselton, that accursed neighbour of hers, had tried to _kill her sister_. Even though they had been asking for a re-opening of diplomatic talks; albeit in a callous manner. Elsa scowled; obviously they weren't even serious about that. This was clearly an act of war, if she'd ever saw one.

Wait.

War. _War_. Elsa's hands frosted at the tips. The reality of it came crashing down on her, her throat suddenly very dry as she let it sink into her. Arendelle hadn't dealt with war since her great Grandfather's time. Their army was small, and the kingdom's ships had all but fallen into disrepair since... well since the Late King and Queen were lost at sea. And she had only barely taken the throne.

What were they going to do?


	4. Chapter 4

A light rapping at the doorframe. Elsa's mind snapped back to the present as she turned to see Kai knocking, his frame bowed in humble reverence, as usual. "Your Majesty," he said, a worried look on his face. Elsa bobbed a nod in acknowledgement before making her way to the doorway.

"Kai."

"Queen Elsa," he bowed, before continuing, "What has happened?" That same question. Elsa had a feeling that she would be answering this several times tonight. She looked back at the bed, surrounded by nurses, before turning back to Kai, unable to hide her concerned look.

"Anna's hurt," she said, looking at Kai with the look of not a Queen to a servant, but the look of a close friend addressing another, "She came to me like this, and—" That was when Elsa noticed the trail of blood down the hallway, thanks to the oil lamps now burning in the corridor. "...She had walked all the way from the mountains to get here... " Elsa stifled a sob, still staring at the floor.

Kai looked alarmed. "Merciful Heavens... how was she hurt so, M'Lday?"

"Weselton," she spat, tears still in her eyes, but a fury on her tongue, "They ambushed Anna's party."

"Did her guards not come back with her?" Kai asked, dreading the answer.

Elsa's eyes widened, only now remembering to think about the guards. "I'm not sure. Anna came to my chambers alone- It is most likely that..."

There was a long pause.

She looked at Kai once again. "Give us a moment," she said, turning around and stepping towards the bed. She looked down at Anna. "Anna," she said gently, regret already seeping in before she even asked, "Anna, can you hear me?" The Princess' eyes open into slits, and she nodded feebly. "...What happened to the guards?"

Anna looked at her sister, and Elsa's heart fell as she saw tears starting to poke through and run down the younger one's cheeks. She knew the answer already, she knew it even before she asked. The Princess shook her head, and managed to whisper that single, blunt word.

"Dead."

And it was like a blanket fell upon all those who were present.

The Queen lowered herself to her knees, next to Anna, and took her hand again. "Oh, Anna. I'm so sorry." Her sister continued to let tears fall down her cheeks, and Elsa could only watch as she made her hurting sister hurt more.

Oh, how she regretted asking her that.

After a while, she slowly got up, and returned to Kai, who stood just past the doorway with his head bowed in heavy silence. "Kai, if you would please go and inform the Captain of the Guards, and then have him come to me," she said.

The headservant bowed, a grave look on his face. "...Yes, Your Majesty." And he left the chambers. Elsa stayed there, watching him turn the corner, before setting her eyes again on the splatters of blood decorating the hall's carpet. She imagined, in her head, the attack, how scared her sister must have been, how painful the guards' deaths were, surely. Frost began creeping up the doorframe where her hand rested, but Elsa didn't notice.

A cry of pain brought her back. She looked at the bed to find Anna struggling against the nurses' hold as Dr. Pål tried to clean her wounds. _I__t hurt so much; _Anna couldn't help bucking, which was only making things worse. Elsa flew to help the nurses, holding down Anna's shoulders as the poor girl had to endure the whiskey being poured over her open cut.

At the end of it, Elsa was trembling almost as much as her sister. Her sister, who's eyes were unfocused and glazed in pain. Her sister, who should be _smiling_ and _laughing _and running around, bumping into things and bugging her to play with her. Who should be sneaking chocolates out of the kitchen, and filling her belly with sweets...

Her sister... who could still die for all she knew.

Elsa had to go and sit down before her own knees failed her.

* * *

Elsa had her hands covering her head, crouching at her seat in a most un-seemly position when Dr.Pål finally approached her again. "Queen Elsa," he said, his tone and manner gentle, "We need to move Princess Anna to the sick bay; her wound needs surgery, and it would be best if she were somewhere that we can keep an eye on her."

Elsa turned to look at the man, her voice cracking. "Surgery?" The physician nodded.

"It is only a minor one, Your Majesty. I've found that she has some splinters of metal still remaining. It seems that the sword that wounded her was broken; we need to remove the shards." The Queen nodded feebly in acknowledgement.

"You have my permission," she responded. Of course he did. But she grimaced at the thought of surgery. She knew in this case that it was very necessary... but Anna was already in so much pain. She couldn't bare the idea of adding more to that. "Please... take care of her," she whispered.

The doctor bowed. "We will do our utmost; rest assured, M'Lady." And so the man left with several nurses, leaving only two behind while the rest went to bring the proper equipment and some strong men.

Finding the cot free of the many people surrounding it before, Elsa took the chair she was sitting on and brought it beside the bed, and sat there, gazing down at Anna. The girl was finally quiet, with her breathing now relatively calm, save for the occasional groan of discomfort that escaped her lips. She lay there, resting, sporting newly wrapped bandages.

'She's so pale,' Elsa thought, biting her lip.

So Elsa stayed there, keeping an eye on her sister, occasionally wiping the sweat off her forehead while she waited for the men to come. "You'll be alright," she muttered to Anna, repeating the same words she spoke before, "You're gonna be alright."

Perhaps she was trying to reassure herself as well.

* * *

The clunk of metal resounded through the long halls, armour reflecting the light from the lamps as the man strode to the door at the end of the corridor, his gait quick and serious, as what one would expect from a high-ranking military officer. After a knock and a muffled, "Enter," from inside, the man proceeded to step inside.

"Your Grace." The General bowed before the door.

"General." came the old, gruff reply, the small man's back to the soldier.

The armoured officer came forward. "The scouts have returned. All have been found dead, except for the princess. It seems that she had disappeared from the scene; most likely having fled, M'Lord."

The old man's fists tightened. "I see. So, they failed then?" The General went rigid.

"Y-yes, Your Grace." The Duke finally turned around, his face contorted in thought. After a while, he finally spoke again.

"Well. No matter; dead or alive, however she is found, the message will be the same." The Duke turned and sat down onto the mahogany chair, leaning his elbows on the desk. "Still, if we want to be clear, we need to be more thorough." The frail man tapped at the wood, then looked straight at the officer. "Commander, send your men to the north border, as we had discussed."

And so the General bowed with a "Yes, Your Grace," before turning and dismissing himself from the office. The Duke turned back towards the window.

"Can't let a witch rule a kingdom, now, can we? Arendelle will thank me, one day." And so the Duke smiled, thinking himself to be quite the hero. And of course, Weselton will grow more prosperous.

The world sure was lucky to have someone like him around.


	5. Chapter 5

Elsa was seated on a stool next to the white bed, where Anna lay, her frail form shuddering in quick breaths as the girl's sleep was wracked with fever. The Queen held a rag in her hands, squeezing it in her grasp out of anxiety, occasionally using it to try and cool her sister down. This was one of the precious moments where she was grateful she had power over ice.

The ragged, light gasps seemed to be the only noise in the hospital wing.

Anna had gone through the surgery a couple hours ago, and Elsa had been glad she hadn't been in the room for that; her sister's screams of pain from the other side of the door was enough to make the older one unleash sheets of ice across the walls and floors of the hall she waited in. The servants passing by (who were admittedly still in their night gowns) struggled to keep their balance on the now cold, slippery floor, but not a soul made a complaint. Indeed, some of them ended up almost falling, distracted as they eyed the infirmary's doors with as much worry in their eyes as the Queen's.

Regardless, the surgery had passed, and Anna made it through. But still, her fever would not leave her, and despite the herbs administered to help numb the pain, Elsa could see from her sister's face that it still plagued her. So Elsa stayed there with her sister, keeping vigil and doing her best to fight off the fever.

A knock on the door. The Queen's back straightened. "Enter," she said, already knowing who would be coming in.

The man came in. "Captain Fleischer," she acknowledged, getting up from her seat and turning to him. "Thank you for coming. I assume you know the situation?" From the man's cap held solemnly in the man's hands, and the somber look in his eyes, Elsa already knew that Kai had delivered the message.

The man bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty. I apologize profusely for what happened to Her Highness. If only I had sent more of my men-"

The Queen quickly held her hand up, silencing the officer. "You have nothing to apologize for. You had sent only the best with her. And she is here now because of their great sacrifice." The Queen paused, looking back at Anna. "In fact, on behalf of Arendelle, I in turn apologize for the loss of your men. They will receive the highest honours for their service and deed, rest assured."

Fleischer bowed at that, his face slightly contorted in withheld emotion. "Your Majesty is most gracious."

The Queen nodded politely. "I am only giving justice where it is due. Your men saved my sister," she said, "Now, speaking of justice..." Elsa glanced back at the cot. "If you would join me in my study, we may discuss the current situation."

The Captain nodded. "I will fetch the Commanding-General." Elsa nodded, glad that the Captain was already on the same page with her.

"Thank you. I will arrive shortly," she said. The man bowed, then left out the door he came in.

The anxiety started again; Elsa had to take deep breaths as she clasped her hands together in their usual habit. She knew what this meeting would entail; and she wasn't sure she was ready for it.

But she had to be strong. She looked at her sister.

'For you,' she thought, bending down and kissing her forehead.

So after fetching a nurse to watch over Anna, the blonde one steeled herself as she came out the door, her head high and her gaze hard. She strode down the castle hall, heading back to her office, where she would have to confront the consequences of this incident.

* * *

Elsa was sitting at her desk, biting her lip with the unease that waiting for a dreaded thing often brought. When she reached the study, she found herself alone; the Captain and General still had not arrived; which was normal, as the Captain still had to fetch the other gent, who was most likely still asleep. It was late after all. In fact, it was nearing sunrise at this point. And the General was getting on in his years, so he wasn't someone who would jump out of the bed in a second. Still, she found herself impatient, agonizing over the seconds, as if she were awaiting a tooth pulling procedure.

Finally, after what seemed like forever (though it had probably only amounted to less than a half hour), the rapping was heard on the door, and after being given permission, the two men entered, bowing nearly simultaneously as they greeted the Queen. The General, though looking as serious as he could, was trying to stifle a yawn, his grizzly face crinkling in a weird contorted expression. The man's eyes quickly darted to the Queen's dress, which had been stained with blood, but quickly returned his eyes to the floor. Elsa had neither time nor a spare thought to think of changing her attire.

"Your Majesty, I've been informed on the circumstances. My apologies for what happened to Princess Anna; I pray she'll have a swift recovery." His voice was rough and deep, his white moustache bushy and thick. The man was dressed in his uniform, medals and badges and gold lace decorating his suit.

The Queen nodded. "Thank you for your kind words, General Rømersen." She looked away, staring at the fireplace near her. "I assume you know why you two have been summoned, then?"

Another bob of a bow. "Indeed, my Queen. Weselton's actions are clear; I have no doubt that this is a message of war."

Despite knowing this herself, a rush of cold went through her spine- the only cold she knew- as she heard the confirmation of her thoughts... and fears. Still, she kept her face level. "Yes," she said, "and we must respond."

"Of course," said the General, "we must respond in kind." Elsa looked at him. "Weselton has a nasty habit of... trying to annex other states into their own. Arendelle cannot stand idly by or hesitate; we mustn't show a trace of weakness." The Queen's spine felt another shiver. "Especially in these times."

Elsa looked back at the fireplace. "I know," she acknowledged, with a tone ever somber. Europe's larger empires, Britain, France, the Dutch, they've been restless and expanding; borders growing and receding with wars and trade. The time of imperialism, of colonizing, of industrialism.

The General's gruff voice continued, "We will see to it that Arendelle is not taken for a weak nation. If Europe were to see Weselton walk all over us, Denmark and Sweden might... interfere again." He was of course, referring to the years of the Danish rule over the Norwegian lands. Elsa was all too aware of those larger states looming over them. "I will join you in council tomorrow; some of the politicians in these courts are cowards, but Arendelle's men will stand with you." The Captain of the Guards gave a strong nod in agreement.

The Queen breathed deeply, resisting the urge to outright sigh. The council; of course. Not only did she have to deal with Weselton, but she had to get through a meeting with men who barely knew how to agree on a by-law. Still, knowing that there were those that stood for the kingdom helped her feel assured, and that was the thing she needed the most right now. "Thank you. I am sure your respected voice will be an asset in the talks tomorrow. Speaking of which, we will discuss what the kingdom has in terms of military assets at the meeting as well. It would not do well to keep you from your rest, General."

The General coughed, feeling rather self-conscious. Indeed, throughout the conversation, he had been struggling to keep a straight back and an alert expression. The Captain was young himself, and the Queen younger, so it seemed it was only him who had been having a hard time staying awake. He cleared his throat. "Ah, yes, well, I suppose that would be wise." He once again straightened his back.

Despite the situation, Elsa found herself having to stifle a giggle at the gent's uncharacteristically comical expression. She had always known the General, since she was a child, to be a rather serious man. It was only in the last few years that the man started to soften up; whether it was because of his approaching retirement or his old age, she didn't know. A pang of guilt came at her; she had hoped that he could work his last days as head of the army in times of peace, and retire happily.

Now she wasn't so sure she could guarantee either of those wishes.

Captain Fleischer took the moment to speak. "Your Majesty, while we must wait until we can make any large moves until tomorrow, I would ask strongly suggest the gates be closed, and keep the castle under maximum security."

Close the gates? Elsa didn't like the sound of it. But she knew the circumstances better than anyone, so she nodded. "Do what you must, and make sure there is extra security around the infirmary."

"Of course, M'Lady."

The General gave a bow. "Forgive us, M'Lady; we will be taking our leave now. Once again, we pray for Princess Anna's swift recovery, God willing." His words felt sincere, and Elsa was once reminded again of how long General Rømersen had known and served her family.

"God willing," Elsa returned, a small smile of gratitude on her face, finally allowing herself to soften up, the sadness peeking through in her eyes.

The two men excused themselves, and Elsa was alone in her study once more. And again, she found herself trying to keep back tears as she looked at the fire once more. A hand covered her eyes as she collapsed into her chair, silent sobs shaking through her core.

She felt _cold_.

* * *

When Elsa finally returned to the hospital bay, sporting a new dress and with eyes still pink, she noticed a little small pile of snow on the seat next to Anna's bed. _Olaf_. The Queen immediately felt guilty; to be honest, she hadn't thought about Olaf even once during all these events, and had neglected to even get someone to inform the snowman of what was happening. The snowman, however, seemed unperturbed as she approached him. He smiled gently, giving a very Anna-like wave(something he did seem to get from her). He was quiet too, for once.

Elsa came up to him, and kneeled down to get to his level. Olaf, still not speaking a word, opened his arms wide. Without hesitating, the young woman fell into his arms—well, sticks. Olaf knew the situation; he knew where to find Anna, and it didn't take much talking with a nurse to get the gist of things. He certainly knew that both sisters needed some warm hugs right now, and since Anna was down for the count on that one, Elsa was definitely getting some.

Soon, another chair was next to Elsa's, and the two of them sat there, staring at Anna, before both pairs of eyes soon drooped, failing to keep a true vigil over her. But Elsa couldn't help it; she was exhausted, and Olaf had eased her out of her anxiously alert state.

Thankfully, the nurses checked on Anna through the night, and made sure to have a blanket over the Queen—once again failing to think of the fact that Elsa was immune to the chill of the winter. Perhaps it was the way her shoulders seemed so bare that night.

Anna slept on, her fevered gasps slipping into Elsa's dreams, dreams which became nightmares. Nightmares of snow and blood and red uniforms, of frozen fjords and frozen sisters and trolls and Anna's bed, crimson-stained, and her pale skin which bled out until she died and she died and she died.

* * *

The carriage was high-class, fit for a minister. Inside the cushions were soft and luxurious, detailed in its decorating, and the outside doors were adorned with intricate rosemaling. Not that you could see it in this dark of the night—morning, actually. Very early morning. And yet Minister of Defence, Sibbern, was awake, on his way back to Arendelle from out of the kingdom.

The man was an impatient sort, someone who _would_ push his escorts to keep moving rather than find lodgings for the night- if he was to return to Arendelle, then he was to return at the quickest of speeds. His trip as an impromptu ambassador to Oslo was a rather uncomfortable trip for him; he wasn't used to such duties, and the protocol required for it was stuffy and rather convoluted in process. Though it was a necessary visit, one which secured Arendelle with more navy ships (with a contract lasting fifty years, no less), Minister Sibbern was glad to be done with it, and now that they were nearing the border, he did not allow his men to tarry one more night. No, it was back home with him. Though a messenger had already went ahead to confirm the news to the court, the Minister wanted to make it to the next morning's council so as to inform the members of the details; he would not allow another morning go to waste.

So the carriage went on, the roads making even this high-end carriage jerk and bounce with the rocks they rode under, until the border crossing was seen.

But it was strange, the lamps weren't lit. Relying on their own light, the party approached the station of entry, feeling a might uneasy.

And for good reason too.

As the head of the escort took a torch and jumped off his horse to investigate, he realized there was a reason the lamps weren't lit. There, laying around in precarious ways, were the officers, with eyes rolled up to their sockets and blood spilled on the gravel. "Lord have mercy," whispered the soldier. Quickly returning to his horse, the leader quickly began giving orders. "Men, be on guard! Into formation, the Minister must be protected at all-"

The man's speech was interrupted by an arrow. One which he now saw lodged through his chest. His fjord pony neighed, reared the soldier off his back and fled.

And suddenly, in contrast to the deathly quiet of only moments before, the Minister could hear only chaos outside; muffled sounds of shouts, whinnies of horses and cries of pain. "Blast," Sibbern hissed through his teeth. He drew a small dagger and clutched at it, waiting for the inevitable.

The door didn't even open. It didn't need to, not with the velocity of a crossbow's arrow. Neither door nor dagger could evade such a thing, and certainly not a man.

Not a soul made it past the border that night.


	6. Chapter 6

She didn't want to wake up. Her eyes were heavy, and the dream was good. But the sun was up; she could tell, even with her eyes closed. Her eyelids glowed orange over her eyes. The sky was awake.

Come to think of it, her eyelids were a lot heavier then they usually were.

A grunt came out of her mouth as she finally got her those lids of hers to squint open. Okay, she just wanted to yawn; not cough out a man-groan, _geez_.

"Anna."

A blurry figure hovered over her. _Elsa?_ Anna's eyes struggled to focus. _Yes, definitely Elsa. _She could tell by those blue eyes, frowning at her in worry. Elsa had her hand on the younger ones' shoulder.

"Anna," she repeated, her sisters' voice quiet and close. "Are you awake?"

The girl blinked a few times. "Elsa..." Oh, wow, was that her voice? She sounded like an old codger. _Lord, my throat hurts_. "...water."

She saw Elsa turn her face away, shifting as she retrieved something from the left of her. A glass of water. Soon, Anna found her sisters' arm sliding under her shoulder blades and head, gently lifting her up and supporting her. The girl groaned a bit at the shift in position—the sound seemed foreign to her, almost as if she weren't the one emitting the sound. _Weird_.

"Here," came her sister's voice, and Anna felt the cool glass on her lips, "drink slowly, now." Oh, sure, alright. Anna's dry lips tasted the water.

_Oh, wow._

Anna forgot herself as her throat took over her mind, and she scrambled for the liquid, gulping as fast as she could. And that was, of course, a bad idea. Before Elsa could stop her, she was already coughing and choking on the liquid. And suddenly her stomach was attacking her with white hot pain. Elsa was alarmed and scrambling, taking the glass from her, and lifted her so she was sitting, so she could breathe. "What did I tell you?!" she whispered harshly, though her voice sounded more fearful than accusatory.

Once Anna got a hold of herself again, she breathed out a "sorry" then looked at Elsa, eyes pleading for the water. The older one, a bit shaken, picked the glass up again.

"_Please_, slowly Anna," she said, drawing out on the 'slowly'. She looked worriedly at her sister, who's glazed eyes betrayed a dazed mind. Elsa didn't like this; she wasn't even sure her words were getting through to Anna. It made her want to cry all over again, and she had done enough of that last night.

But Anna was cooperative this time, drinking slowly. Whether it was from expending too much energy earlier or actually listening to her, Elsa didn't know. Eventually, the cup was emptied, and Anna was laid down to the pillow again. And just like that, the girl was asleep.

Just like that.

Elsa buried her head into her hands, her shoulders shaking. And a snowman slept on the chair next to her, oblivious.

* * *

"Surely you are not _serious_, Your Majesty!"

There it was; the classic objection. While Elsa still kept her usual stone-cold face which she used for these types of meetings, she couldn't hide the dark circles under her eyes, and she wasn't sure how long she could hide her frayed nerves. A headache was already growing furiously behind her eyeballs. "You think this is a _joke_, councillor? You think I would simply _jest_ about such a thing?"

The old man huffed out a blunt response, "What other conclusion am I supposed to come up with? First, you recklessly cut relations with the kingdom's main trading partner,-" _Oh, bringing that up again, are we?_ '-and now you want to engage in all out _war_ with them?"

"You speak as if there were no legitimate causes for such actions, Mr. Jarlsberg. Surely as Minister of Foreign Affairs, you would be aware of such causes, would you not?"

Jarlsberg scoffed. "All I see is a young _woman_ whose pride has cost Arendelle a pretty penny. And now she would endanger the kingdom with that same pride," he spat, "This is why a woman ruling spells disaster- too emotional to make rational decisions."

Elsa's clasped hands hid layers of ice between their palms.

The Commander was quick in retort, slamming his hand on the wooden table. "Jarlsberg! Hold your tongue! Do not forget that you are addressing the Queen, one with God-given right to rule! Know your place." Rømersen sighed. "And you forget that it is not just Queen Elsa who is in favour of taking action against Weselton." The room was filled in murmurs of approval from several of the men sitting on that table.

"But the risks are too high," argued the Minister of Finance—Mr. Vogt, "And the reason for it is sketchy at best! All we know is Princess Anna had been attacked by some men in the middle of nowhere. How can we know for sure it was Weselton, or if those men were even under any orders? It could have been some bandits."

"Are you doubting the words of Her Highness?! Princess Anna had clearly stated that those men were from Weselton-"

"And how can we be sure that her mind is to be trusted? Did she not return to the castle in a fever-struck state?"

Elsa by now was rubbing her temples, the headache growing with the banter of grown men. Despite the large space, she was starting to feel claustrophobic.

"Besides, " Vogt continued, "whether or not there is legitimate cause for our small kingdom to go into war with Weselton, of all nations, we still cannot make any moves until the Minister Sibbern returns from Oslo."

"Oh, so we just wait until Sibbern comes?! Weselton will not wait for us, Mr. Vogt!" The General was clearly losing patience.

As if on cue, there was a quick rap on the door of the conference room, interrupting the men in their argument. The irritated men fell into a silence as the Queen gathered herself again. "Enter," she said. What could be so important as to interrupt a council gathering?

As the messenger came in with a strange, grave look on his face, Elsa could already sense that whatever was to be said would be very important indeed. And not in a good way. "Apologies for the interruption," the man said, bowing before entering the room. He coughed once. "A telegram has come from the north border." The Queen's throat felt dry once again as he paused, almost hesitant.

"...All the guards on duty have been found dead at the crossing point," the messenger finally revealed, and gasps echoed through the chamber, "as well as... Minister of Defense, Sibbern, and his party."

Elsa almost felt dizzy, and yet the messenger still had more to say. "...Also, a document was found at the scene... a formal declaration of war from the Duchy of Weselton."

Ice shot out from under the Queen's clenched hands, freezing her chair.

_How dare they. _

_That is hardly official, this is hardly formal. _

The General seemed to reflect the same thoughts. "They make a mockery of us," he spat, "formal declaration of war indeed."

And so the council could no longer argue against the war. Obviously the choice in the matter, or the illusion of the choice, was gone. But still, the Foreign Affairs minister had the gall to quip in, "Well, we have no Minister of Defence, how are we supposed to move forward from here?"

"And the people will not be happy with this news," warned the Mayor of Arendelle's castle town, "You can be assured that the approval will go down."

"Are you suggesting the people would rather bow their heads down and be swallowed by Weselton?!" came the outcry of General Rømersen, "You take Arendelle to be a cowardly nation, Mayor?!"

"I am only stating the facts!" retorted the Mayor, "Arendelle's people have already had to deal with horrendous conditions this last summer, and it is a wonder they hadn't been banging on the castle doors in protest at the time! And now Princess Anna's reckless behavior has dragged the kingdom down with-"

"Enough!" Patches of ice danced across the wooden board. The men all turned to the source, finding a Queen who's face reminded them all of who exactly they were serving. The Mayor's face paled, realizing his mistake all too late. "Mayor," she spoke, with a voice positively controlled, and positively intimidating, "We all know the points you are trying to make, but to blame the Princess on Weselton's actions is true and utter folly. I will not tolerate such nonsense spoken again, whether in my presence or not, _are we clear?_"

"Y-yes, Your Majesty," he stuttered, his whole body rigid.

And with that, the Queen exhaled, and the ice receded to nothingness. "Let us not forget our heads, gentlemen. I understand that the situation is grave, and there is much to fret about, but we must be cooperative if we are to protect Arendelle. And we must not allow ourselves to skip over those who have been affected by the latest events, either." She paused at that, taking a moment to collect herself. "We shall now take a recess, and continue our talks in the evening. Please take that time to put all your thoughts in order. Meeting adjourned."

The men, in utter silence, took their notes and pens and books, and headed to the doors. The Queen took a moment until they had all left before exiting herself, her headache back at the forefront of her mind, the words of those men swirling through her head.

It all made her feel sick.

* * *

"Wow, Elsa, you look terrible," came the blunt words of the snowman, whom she had bumped into just moments before on her way to the hospital wing. You'd think it'd be hard to miss a walking snowman, but Elsa apparently could, with her thoughts far away from the hallway she was travelling through.

"Oh, Olaf," she replied wearily, "Sorry, I didn't see you there."

The snowman shook his head, "That's alright! People usually see me, so it's interesting not to be seen!" The Queen gave a small smile at that. "Are you going to go see Anna?"

Elsa nodded. "Yes, I am. Where are you going, Olaf?"

"Me? Oh, I'm going to the mountains to go and fetch Kristoff! I'm pretty sure Anna could use some reindeer-king company right about now."

Kristoff. Of course. Elsa wanted to smack herself for forgetting about him. First Olaf, then Kristoff. Who else was she forgetting at this point? _What_ else? She pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing at her own stupidity.

"...You okay there, Elsa?" Olaf ventured, dragging his words. Elsa opened her eyes again to look at the snowman.

"Hm? Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Olaf, that's a great idea. In fact, I will help you with that."

The snowman's eyes brightened up. "You will? How?"

"Yes," she said, "I'll get some escorts for you two."

Olaf smiled at her words. "Oh, great! Why?"

Elsa's smile faltered. "Things aren't exactly safe around here right now, Olaf. The guards will make sure Kristoff can come home safely." _Or at least alive._

Olaf nodded. "Okay! Got it." Completely compliant, as usual. Elsa gave him another small grin.

And so, after fetching the Captain to arrange a group of soldiers to accompany a talking snowman to fetch an ice harvester, Elsa finally took the proper steps to the infirmary, feeling heavy and tired.

Oh, how she needed to see Anna.

* * *

When she approached the doors of the sick bay, a nurse came to the Queen, a bit giddy and restless in her movements. "Your Majesty," she said, an air of repressed excitement about her, "Princess Anna's fever has broken. She's fully awake right now."

And Elsa was gone, she was already through the doors, already at the curtains. And behind them, behind them was Anna.

Anna, who still looked tired, who's skin was coated in a sheen of sweat, but who looked directly at her sister, her eyes clear, her mind lucid. Anna gave her sister a smile. "Hey," she said simply.

"H-hey," Elsa responded, but her voice cracked and her eyes filled with tears, and the Queen found herself on the edge of the bed, crying, and her sister, her dear sister was the one who held her, who stroked her hair, who whispered words of comfort to her.

They stayed like that for a good while.

Together.


End file.
